Magnetic educational vehicle

ABSTRACT

A magnetic educational vehicle is made of formed plastic and includes at one end a U-shaped recess for accommodating a Ushaped magnet with its legs oriented in the horizontal plane and at the other end an I-shaped recess for accommodating the same magnet with its legs aligned in the vertical plane. A pair of such vehicles help illustrate the principles of magnetic attraction and repulsion. By orienting the magnets with like poles opposed, pushing one vehicle causes the other to move away.

United States Patent Orfei et al.

Jan. 23, 1973 MAGNETIC EDUCATIONAL VEHICLE Inventors: John B. Oriei, N.Revere; Henry Shapiro, Framingham, both of Mass.

Assignee: American Science & Engineering Inc., Cambridge, Mass.

Filed: March 24, 1971 Appl. No.: 127,743-

U.S. Cl. ..48/236, 46/202, 46/238, 35/ 19 A Int. Cl. ..A63h 33/26 Fieldof Search ..46/202, 216, 236, 238; 35/ 19 A References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Mann ..46/236 X Quinby ..46/2l6 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 690,485 7/1964 Canada ..46l238 Primary Examiner-Louis G.Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney-Charles Hieken[57] ABSTRACT A magnetic educational vehicle is made of formed plasticand includes at one end a U-shaped recess for accommodating a U-shapedmagnet with its legs oriented in the horizontal plane and at the otherend an I-shaped recess for accommodating the same magnet with its legsaligned in the vertical plane. A pair of such vehicles help illustratethe principles of magnetic attraction and repulsion. By orienting themagnets with like poles opposed, pushing one vehicle causes the other tomove away.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAH 23 I975 JOHN B.ORFEI HENRYSHAPIRO /nv9n/0rs B, m M

A fforney MAGNETIC EDUCATIONAL VEHICLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates in general to magnetic educational vehiclesand more particularly concerns a novel inexpensive plastic vehiclearranged to support a U-shaped magnet horizontally or vertically so thata like pair of vehicles may be used to illustrate the principles ofmagnetic repulsion and attraction.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an inexpensivesafe vehicle that will be of interest to children while helping teachthem principles of magnetic attraction and repulsion.

It is another object of this invention to achieve the preceding objectwhile helping to keep powerful magnets so positioned that the principleof magnetic repulsion is readily illustrated.

It is a further object of the invention to achieve one or more of thepreceding objects while keeping costs low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a vehicle is formedwith a U-shaped recess at one end for snugly accommodating a U-shapedmagnet horizontally and an I-shaped recess at the other end foraccommodating the same magnet vertically. These recesses are aboverespective axles of the vehicle.

A pair of vehicles according to the invention may then be used to teachprinciples of magnetic attraction and repulsion. Typically each vehiclehas its associated U-shaped magnet seated in the U-shaped recess. Withthe Ushaped magnets oriented so that opposed poles are of the samesense, the magnets repel. When the child pushes one of the vehiclestoward the other with the magnets thus oriented, such other vehiclemoves away from the vehicle being pushed. If the magnets are arrangedwith poles of opposite sense facing each other, the two vehicles aredrawn together.

With the magnets associated with each car vehicle seated in a recess ofgenerally I-shaped cross section, the principles may be demonstratedsimilarly except that the respective magnets are then oriented in thevertical plane.

Numerous other features, objects, and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following specification when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top view of a pair ofvehicles according to the invention with the opposed magnets orientedhorizontally in the U-shaped grooves; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of a pair of vehicles according to the inventionwith the opposed magnets oriented vertically.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference now to thedrawing, and more particularly FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a top viewof a pair of like vehicles 11 and 12 according to the invention. Each ofthe vehicles include generally U-shaped recesses 13 and 14 extendingacross most of the width of each vehicle for snugly accommodatingU-shaped magnets 15 and 16, respectively. Vehicles comprising a wheeledbody means of low magnetic permeability 11 and 12 are also formed withrecesses 21 and 22, respectively, of generally l-shaped cross section inthe horizontal plane curved to accommodate one of the legs of anassociated magnet 15 and 16 with the bumps such as 23 and 24 helping tosnugly accommodate an associated magnet when seated therein. Bodies 31and 32 of vehicles 11 and 12 are preferably made of thermoformedlightweight plastic to keep costs low while making the vehiclesrelatively difficult to break. Axles 33 and 34 are beneath recesses 21and 13 of vehicle 11, and similar axles 35 and 36 are beneath recesses22 and 14, respectively. Axles 33 and 34 carry wheels 37 at each end andaxles 35 and 36 carry wheels 38 at each end so that the vehicles mayroll easily.

With magnets 15 and'16 seated in recesses 13 and 14, respectively, asshown and oppositely sensed poles facing each other, vehicles 1 l and 12move together as generally indicated by the dashed-dotted outline. Withlike poles facing each other, vehicles 11 and 12 would be repelled. Onemight propel one of vehicles 11 or 12 toward the other and they mightassume a relative position indicated by the dashed-dotted line and thenbounce apart so that the opposed magnets were functioning effectively asa magnetic spring. A child might push one of the vehicles 11 and 12 andthe other of the vehicles would move away from the pushed vehicle. Afeature of the invention is that this type of magnetic repulsion, anunstable condition, may be illustrated to children in a relativelystable arrangement whereby the effect of the repulsion may be observedfor a relatively long time as the child pushes one of the vehicles whilethe other retreats.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown still another arrangement of thevehicles according to the invention with magnets 15 and 16 seated inrecesses 21 and 22, respectively, of generally I-shaped cross-section.Vehicle 12 is shown partially in section to illustrate how a magnet issnugly accommodated. In FIG. 2 vehicles 11 and 12 carry magnets 15 and16, respectively, in recesses 21 and 22, respectively. With like polesof magnets 15 and 16 opposed, vehicle 12 might be propelled towardvehicle 11 to a position represented by the dashed-dotted outline andthen repelled in a manner similar to that described above. Alternately,if unlike poles were opposed, vehicles 11 and 12 would be drawntogether. The arrangement of FIG. 2 requires the child to positionvehicles 11 and 12 more precisely than is required with the arrangementof FIG. 1 to illustrate repulsion when like pole faces are opposed.However, the child thus learns of the unstable equilibrium involved whenlike pole faces are opposed and quickly grasps the concept that unlikepole faces attract each other. To this end it is advantageous todesignate the poles on the magnet with N indicating north pole and Sindicating the south pole.

The invention just described is characterized by educational value andplay value for children. It is low in cost and rugged. It is evidentthat those skilled in the art may now make numerous usesandmodifications of and departures from the specific embodiments describedherein without departing from the inventive concepts. Consequently, theinvention is to be construed as embracing each and every novel featureand novel combination of features present or possessed by the apparatusand techniques herein disclosed and limited solely by the spiritandscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Magnetic educational toy comprising,

a U-shaped pennanent magnet,

a wheeled body means of low magnetic permeability formed with a U-shapedrecess at one end extending across most of the width of said bodymeansand a recess of generally l-shaped cross section at the other end foraccommodating the same U- shaped permanent magnet in normally horizontalor normally vertical positions respectively of said magnet,

said U-shaped permanent magnet being seated in one of said recesses.

2. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and furthercomprising a second of said wheeled body means,

a second U-shaped permanent magnet the same as said first-mentionedU-shaped permanent magnet,

said second U-shaped permanent magnet being seated in the recess of saidsecond wheeled body means corresponding to said one of said recesses inwhich said first-mentioned U-s'haped permanent magnet is seated.

3. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whereinsaid one recess is said -U-shaped recess and both said magnets arehorizontally oriented with like pole faces opposed.

4. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whereinsaid one recess is said recess. of I- shaped cross section and saidU-shaped magnets have like pole faces opposed.

5. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whereinsaid one recess is said U-"shaped recess and both said magnets arehorizontally oriented with unlike pole faces opposed.

6. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whereinsaid one recess is said recess of I- shaped cross section and saidU-shaped magnets have unlike pole faces opposed.

1. Magnetic educational toy comprising, a U-shaped permanent magnet, awheeled body means of low magnetic permeability formed with a U-shapedrecess at one end extending across most of the width of said body meansand a recess of generally I-shaped cross section at the other end foraccommodating the same U-shaped permanent magnet in normally horizontalor normally vertical positions respectively of said magnet, saidU-shaped permanent magnet being seAted in one of said recesses. 2.Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and furthercomprising a second of said wheeled body means, a second U-shapedpermanent magnet the same as said first-mentioned U-shaped permanentmagnet, said second U-shaped permanent magnet being seated in the recessof said second wheeled body means corresponding to said one of saidrecesses in which said first-mentioned U-shaped permanent magnet isseated.
 3. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 2wherein said one recess is said U-shaped recess and both said magnetsare horizontally oriented with like pole faces opposed.
 4. Magneticeducational apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said one recessis said recess of I-shaped cross section and said U-shaped magnets havelike pole faces opposed.
 5. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordancewith claim 2 wherein said one recess is said U-shaped recess and bothsaid magnets are horizontally oriented with unlike pole faces opposed.6. Magnetic educational apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whereinsaid one recess is said recess of I-shaped cross section and saidU-shaped magnets have unlike pole faces opposed.